Meat-cutter



2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y(No Model.)-

.J.B.ARNETT.

MEAT GUTTER.' N0. 496,842.

Patented May .9, 1.893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.. 'l

JAMES B. ARNETT, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

- MEAT-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,842, dated May 9,1893.

Application filed August 12, 1892. Serial No. 442,893. (No model.)

K panying drawings, forming a part of hereof.

My invention relates to meat cutters, and consists in the novelcombination, construetion and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthand designated in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved machine for use inlarge packinghouses, especially, but which may of course be used inother locations, for cutting-up hogs in preparing salt and mess pork formarket, and for cutting-up other animals, such as sheep, calves andbeeves.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective- View of an improvedmeat-cutting or chopping machine, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is asectional side-elevation of same, with parts broken away, the sectionbeing taken on line 2-2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a front view of same, withparts broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail-view, in perspective, of areciprocating-knife and its mountings, made use of in carrying out theinvention, and, Fig. 5 is a detail-view in perspective, of yielding jawslocated in the cutting-block and constituting a knife-slot therein.

l indicates four vertical guide-bars, disposed in a relativelyrectangular position, with their upper ends covered and secured inposition by a rectangular-cap 2 having acentral vertical passage 3, andtheir lower ends secured to or cast integral with a bracket 4, so as toform four vertical slots 5 in the vertical frame of the machine. Theframe-bracket 4 is provided with a base-portion 7, which is secured tothe cutting-block 8 preferably by means of suitable through-bolts 24 and25 passed vertically through both base-portion and said block. Thebase-portion 7 of lthe frame-bracket is located upon the upper face ofthe cutting-block 8, at a point adjacent the rear side thereof, so astoleave acomparatively Wide surface in front of it, upon which thehalves or other large portions of hogs and other animals may bemanipulated during the are secured. Such an arrangement disposesl thereciprocating-knife and its connections in position directly above suchcutting-surface, and provides the necessary space between theoverhanging-portion of the frame-bracket and said cutting-surface, inwhich the large pieces of meat to be divided may be located, turned andotherwise manipulated while the knife reciprocates in operation. y,f

Disposed within the vertical-space between the bars 1, and guidedthereby in vertical movement, is a cross-head 28 having guidelugs 6 ontwo opposite sides. This cross-head is secured to the lower end of a rod18, which extends upward through the passage 3 in ca 2.

lleciprocating-movement may be imparted to the cross-head 28 by anyknown means, but I prefer to use the devices which are here shown forthe purpose. These consist of a revoluble-disk 2O properly mounted on ashaft and fitted with a wrist-pin 21,and a connecting-rod 19 having itsupper end engaging said wrist-pin and its lower end loosely-connected tothe upper end of said rod 18, so that when said disk is revolvedcontinuously in either direction by. means of a belt-pulley 22 and abelt (or by other means) a reciprocating movement will thereby beimparted to said rod 18 and said cross-head. The bearings for the shaftupon which the disk 2O is mounted, being unimportant details capable ofbeing constructed by an ordinary mechanic, need not be shown ordescribed herein.

16 indicates a second cross-head, mounted to reciprocate and rock in thespace between the guide-bars 1 directly beneath the crosshead 28. Theupper end of the cross-head 16 is pivotally secured to the lower-portionof the cross-head 28 by means of a pin 29, or other known form ofconnection,and the contiguous ends of both cross-heads are provided withrounded-portions 30 and 17, for a purpose hereinafter stated. Projectingfrom op- IOO ' 23 are mounted, are provided with an out- Yss ward-curve,or a forward-curve, 31, and with an 1nward or backwarclcurve 32immediately below the curve 31, for a purpose stated farther on.

l5indicates a knife having a lsharpened lower edge, and mounted upon orsecured to the lower end of the lower cross-head 16 so as to extend Vin,a direction at right-angles to that ciprocate in the slots 5 which arein the front and rear of the frame.

11 represents a cut-indicator, for indicating to the eye of the operatorthe exact point upon the kmeat to ybe cut at which the knife willstrike, in its descending,` movement. This indicator preferably consistsof a piece of 1ron wire, or metal rod, bent at right-angles, so as toform a shank 33 and this shank fixed 1n or to a lug 34: depending fromthe yield-ingarm 9, although such indicator may be other-- wise arrangedbyanordinary mechanic without departing from my invention. Theyielding-arm 9 is attached at its upper end to one side of the frame ofthe machine, so that its lower end will be free and be disposed adjacentthe space beneath the overhanging portion of the bracket 4, with itslug34 projecting downward into a position a little below Ysaidoverhanging-portion. One of the pins or lugs 23 projects a little beyondthe outer sur-v face of the guidebars 1, on one side `of the machine,and is adapted to contact with an incline, or cam-surface, 35, formedupon or secured to the inner-surface of the yielding-arm 9. 10 indicatesscrews or other fastenings, by means of which said arm is secured in theposition above described. The cut-indicator 11 is disposed, and normallyrests, inthe path of the knife 15, and extends in a direction parallelthereto. The upper surface of the cutting-block 8 is provided with acurved or dished cutting-surface, so that the rearedge and side edgesare in a higher plane than the front edge is. The purpose of thisconstruction is to adapt the block to the contour of the animalbeing'cut up, to as great a degree as possible, in order that shiftingaround of the animal will not so readily occur without 'intent on thepart of the operator. A further purpose of this is to provide a meanswhereby the blood and juices contained in the meat being cut will becaused to gravitate to the lowest `portion of the cutting surface of theblock,which is the front, and there be disposed of in the mostconvenient manner.

The machine above described may be opthe block, although I prefer t0 usewith it what I term a cutting-slot having yieldingsides, which l willnow describe.

12 indicates a pair of jaws, normally located with adjacent edges incontact, in a recess 39 formed in the cutting-block centrally of itswidth and extending in a direction parallel to that in which the knife15 extends. The upper side of this recess or groove 39 is open, so thatall liquids may gravitate therein toward the front of the block, therear end of said recess or groove being closed, as shown in Figs. 1 and2. The jaws 12 are mounted to slideupon rods or bars 26, which extendtransversely thereof through holes 37 formed therein. Springs of anyknown kind are arl ranged to normally retain the contiguous 1n which thepins or studs 23 project, and reedges of said jawsin contact.Spiralsprings may be used for this purpose, as here shown, they beingindicated bythe numeral 13 and located one upon the projecting ends ofeach rod 26, and said rods and springs are mounted in short grooves orrecesses 14 extending laterally from the central groove 39, in thecutting-block, so that the outer ends of said springs will bear againstthe outer walls of said transverse-grooves andthe inner ends of thesprings will'be urged against the 'outer sides of the jaws 12, andretain the inner edges of the latter in contact, and in verticalalignment with the edge of the cutting-knife. This is done, so that whenthe knife descends to the limitof its downward-movement, its edge willpass between said jaws and slightly separate them.

To provide against any possibility of the edge ofthe knife not enteringbetween the jaws 12 I bevel or chamfer the contiguous upper corners ofeach jaw, so as to .form a cutting-slot 38, having yielding-walls.

The operation is as followsz-Power being communicated to the disk 20 bymeans of pulley 22 and a belt, or by other known means, the said diskwill be rotated, and a reciprocating-movement will be imparted to therod 18, the upper and lower cross-heads 28 and 16, respectively, and theknife 15. r-At each stroke the edge of the knife will enter between thejaws 12, separating them a short distance, and as soon as the edge ofthe knife is removed the springs 13 act, as before stated, and returnsaid jaws to' their normal position, which is with adjacent edges incontact. This arrangement forms a very solid anvil for the meat beingcut, the jaws 12 andthe knife acting substantially as male and femaledies, clearing the knife of all accumulations adjacent its edge, andpermitting a very neat cut to be made at each stroke. The animal to becut into pieces for mess-pork, salt-pork, &c is placed transversely ofthe cutting-block 8, and ofthe knife 15, in the space beneath theoverhanging-portion of the bracket 4, the reciprocating-movement of theknife being comparatively slow, so that ample time will be given theoperator to adj ust the animal, or meat, beneath the knife before thecut is made. The

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operator adjusts the meatin such manner that the indicator 11 rests inthe exact spot where he desires a cut. made; then the knife descends,the proj ecting-pin or stud 23 coming into contact with the incline onthe yielding-arm 9, as the knife approaches the limit of itsdownward-movement, and swings the lower end of said arm outward, asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and this withdraws the said indicatorfrom the path of the descending knife so that the knife passes but doesnot come in contact with the indicator. On the up stroke,

as soon as the projecting-end of the pin 23 be.

comes disengaged from said incline (which it does at a point near thelimit of its upward movement) said arm springs back to normal position,vplacing the indicator again in the path of the knife, and so on.

A draw-cut is imparted to the knife in the followingmanner: As the knifeapproaches the limit of its downward-movement the pins 23, sliding inthe slots 5 between the guidebars 1v of the frame, first strike theinclinedside of the outward-curve 31 of said slots, and are therebycaused to 'move a short distance toward the front of the machine,causing the lower cross-head 16 to be rocked or moved in same direction,making a draw cut in that direction. As soon as this has beenaccomplished, and as the downward-movement of the parts continues, saidpins 23 will strike the inclined side 32 of said slots, which, beinginclined toward the rear of the machine, will cause the knife to bemoved in that direction, making another draw-cut. These movements willbe reverse in order, as the knife proceeds to make an up stroke. It willbe observed that this draw-cut is brought about while the knife is justapproaching the limit of its downstroke, thereby severing the meat veryneatly, without tearing it.

The advantages of a draw-cut are well known, and need not be described.When pressure is brought upon the joint between the upper and lowercross-heads, as it is in cutting, the rounded portion or end 17 of thecross-head 16 will contact with the roundedend 30 of the cross-head 28,and remove considerable strain from the pivotal-pin 29. The knife, itwill be noticed, is so mounted as to be accessible from the front andtwo sides of the machine, which is a very convenient arrangementinplacin g and manipulating heavy pieces of meat upon the cutting-block.

' I am aware that meat-chopping machines, for use in making sausages,have been fitted with a series of vertically reciprocatingknives; kalsothat other meat-cutting machines 1. In a meat chopper, comprisinga chop^ping block, and a guide-frame, the combination of a verticalreciprocatory knife, guided in said guide-frame, and having laterallyprojecting guide pins, with an indicator rod, to

designate the line of cut of the descending knife, substantially as setforth.

2. In a meat chopper, comprising a chopping block, and a guide-frame,thecombination of a vertical reciprocatory knife, guiding said frame,and having laterally projecting guide-pins, with a yielding arm, carriedat the side of the vertical guide frame, and an indicator rod, carriedby said yielding arm, and adapted to designate the line of cut, and toautomatically move from under the descending knife, substantially asdescribed.

3..In a meat chopper, comprising a chopping block, a guide framevertically erected upon said chopping-block, and having laterallyaligned guide-ways or slots 16, terminating at their lower ends -in asegmental slot, and a vertically reciprocatory knife, having laterallyextending kpins engagingsaid guideways 16 and segmental slot, to inducea longitudinal draw-cut to the descending knife, substantiallyasdescribed.

et. In a meat chopper, the combination of a chopping block, an invertedapproximately L-shaped standard supported upon said block, near its rearedge, the horizontal portion thereof, extending forwardly over thecenter of said block, vertical guide bars supported upon the horizontalportion of theV L-shaped standard, a cap at the upper end of saidguide-bars, and a vertical reciprocatory knife guided between the guidebars, with spring actuated plates 1.2, extending parallel and invertical alignment with the knife, and having beveled upper and inneredges to direct the knife, and arranged longitudinally upon the choppingblock, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES 13. ARNETT.

